Safer World

Nigerian 'Dawn'
Safer World
Bureaus help Secure
Chemical Weapons in Libya
Nigerian 'Dawn'
TV Show aims to
Reduce Election Violence
state.gov/statemag
October 2014
EQUATORIAL
MISSION
Embassy Libreville advances diplomacy
in Gabon, Sao Tome and Principe
Goal!!!
Sports diplomacy
scores big for mission
8
Sport for Community participant Gabriel Mayr de
Oliveira Silva shares tactics with his team. Photo
by Josef Kubíček
Editor-in-Chief
Isaac D. Pacheco
pachecoi2@state.gov
Deputy Editor
Ed Warner
warneres@state.gov
Associate Editor
Bill Palmer
palmerwr2@state.gov
Art Director
Luis A. Jimenez, Jr.
jimenezla@state.gov
Contacting Us
2401 E Street NW, Room H236
Washington DC 20522
statemagazine@state.gov
Phone: (202) 261-8163
Fax: (202) 663-1769
Change of Address
Send changes of addresses to our
staff using the contact information
above. Please include your previous
mailing address.
Submissions
For details on submitting articles to
State Magazine, request our
guidelines by email at
statemagazine@state.gov or
download them from
http://www.state.gov/statemag.
State Magazine does not purchase
freelance material.
Deadlines
The submission deadline for the
December issue is November 15.
The deadline for the January issue is
December 15.
State Magazine (ISSN 1099–4165) is
published monthly, except bimonthly
in July and August, by the Bureau
of Human Resources at the U.S.
Department of State. It is intended for
information only and is not authority
for ofﬁcial action. Views and opinions
expressed are not necessarily those of
the Department of State. The editorial
team reserves the right to select and
edit all materials for publication.
Follow Us Online

Columns
2 In the News
4 Diversity Notes
28 In Brief
31 Education and Training
32 Appointments
34 Obituaries
35 Lying in State
36 End State
26
20
10
On The Cover
October 2014 // Issue Number 593
STATE MAGAZINE // OCTOBER 2014 2
In July, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City partnered with the city
government and the NGO Collective Against Trafcking in Persons
on a bicycle rally against human trafcking. More than 70 participants
from the public, government and civil society learned about human
trafcking at stops along a 12-kilometer bike route through the city.
Ofcials are only able to identify roughly 40,000 victims of
trafcking a year, so the embassy focused on teaching citizens how
to recognize victims, to discourage the patronage of organizations or
businesses using trafcked labor. Activities included washing a nearby
car’s window, to remind riders that children performing such tasks at
stoplights are often trafcking victims.
“Trafcking in persons is a crime estimated to victimize approximately
27 million men, women and children,” said Chargé d’Afaires Laura
Dogu. She urged attendees to think about the “bigger criminal
organization your few coins might be supporting each time a child tries to
wash your car windows at a stop light” and to “reconsider purchasing the
pirated goods that are often produced by the hands of forced labor.”
Stops on the ride included congregation areas for trafcked labor
and the headquarters for organizations combatting the crime. At the
Embassy Ride
Fights Trafﬁcking
Deputy Chief of Mission Laura Dogu speaks at the rally.
Photo by Melissa Martinez
Employing the felds of science, technology, engineering and math-
ematics (STEM), robotics can “capture the imagination of kids around
the world, providing a platform for global partnerships and economic
development,” said Deputy Special Representative for Global Part-
nerships Tomas Debass at a July State Department event on “Robo
Diplomacy.” Te event explored how the Department can incorporate
robotics into its global public diplomacy and development eforts, and
featured a presentation by Russ Fisher-Ives, director of Global Programs
for RoboRAVE International.
RoboRAVE International is an annual robotics competition in
Albuquerque, N.M., that seeks to make robotics accessible to youths
ages 8 and up, regardless of educational or socioeconomic background.
Participants build and program robots, with help from facilitators only
as needed, to compete in challenges, such as extinguishing four candles
in three minutes or less.
Winning is secondary to learning through collaboration, Fisher-Ives said.
Te competition aims to excite students about STEM careers. Accord-
ing to the U.S. Department of Education, only 16 percent of American
high school seniors are profcient in mathematics and interested in a
STEM career. Te United States ranks 25th in mathematics and 17th in
science among industrialized nations.
Tere are regional competitions, such as RoboRAVE Latinoamerica
and RoboRAVE Asia, as well as the international competition in New
Robotics Competition
Promotes Science Education
Robo Diplomacy attendees play with one of the robots. They are, from left, Amy
Storrow, senior advisor for innovation in ECA; Hannah Koenig, Franklin Fellow in ECA;
and Heather E. Ward, information resource ofﬁcer in the Bureau of International
Information Programs.
Photo by Lindsey Spector
U.S. Embassy stop, organizers asked teams to write something they had
learned about human trafcking from previous stops.
One rider, Roland Minez, of the post’s ofce of the Bureau of
International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Afairs (INL), told the
press, “It’s not possible to stop human trafcking on a bicycle, but
raising awareness is really important.” He was joined at the fnish line
by his wife, Lisa Minez, and Consular Ofcer Hilleary Williams.
Te Department of Justice’s Ofce of Prosecutorial Development,
Assistance and Training organized the embassy efort as part of its $4 million
Trafcking in Persons program in Mexico. More information about the
embassy’s trafcking in persons activities is on the post’s website.
Mexico. Tey ofer high value at minimal cost: Registration for a team
costs $100 or less, and a team’s robot must cost less than $1,500. In
2014, RoboRAVE has involved more than 1,480 youths in eight na-
tions, including events in China, Mexico and the Czech Republic.
Almost half of participants are girls.
Te Secretary’s Ofce of Global Partnerships is working with Fisher-
Ives and ofces throughout the Department to expand his group into
additional countries and bring more participants to the organization’s
competitions. More information about RoboRAVE International is
available online. For information on the Department’s eforts in robotics,
contact Partnerships@state.gov.
In the News
3 STATE MAGAZINE // OCTOBER 2014
Te Department has created a central registry of those in what is now
known as the Reemployed Annuitant/WAE (REA/WAE) program, which
flls stafng needs with annuitants. Te program encompasses domestic and
overseas positions, and ofers the skills of annuitants from the Foreign Ser-
vice and Foreign Afairs Agencies and the Department’s Civil Service ranks.
Te HR Service Center (HRSC) in Charleston, S.C., is the frst point of
contact for program inquiries and manages the registry of prospective REA/
WAE participants, including their contact and skills information, enabling
managers to quickly and easily fnd candidates for short-term vacancies.
(Bureaus and ofces manage recruitment and selection for vacant REA/
WAE positions, since those positions are created and funded at the bureau
or ofce level.)
Managers seeking to employ a REA/WAE can request a list of annuitants
through their Bureau REA/WAE coordinator or from HRSC@state.gov or
by calling 866-300-7419. Lists can be fltered by skill code, language, loca-
tion and other factors. In the future, the list will include the ability to search
by previous assignments and Foreign Service Institute courses.
More than 1,800 annuitants are in the program, and 1,200 of them are
employed. Annuitants wishing to join the program, and employed annui-
tants not already in the registry, can submit their contact and skills informa-
tion through their bureau’s REA/WAE coordinator, HRSC@state.gov or by
calling 866-300-7419. An annuitant’s information will appear on the lists
provided to hiring managers interested in specifc skills and experience.
HRSC Launches
REA/WAE Registry
In early July, the Pickering and Rangel Fellowship Association (PRFA)
annual dinner honored Assistant Secretary for Administration Joyce Barr
for her long and staunch support of the Tomas R. Pickering and Charles
B. Rangel Fellowship programs. Te group said Barr has supported the
fellowship programs through long-term mentoring of fellows, the career
advice and guidance she’s given them, her willingness to speak to fellows
and alumni, and her advocacy for the fellowship programs.
Launched in 2010, PRFA was established to create opportunities for
alumni worldwide to connect, network, engage in professional develop-
ment and community service projects and mentor the next generation
of Foreign Service ofcers. Over the 2013-2014 program year, PRFA
focused on employee retention, work-life balance and assisting Pickering
and Rangel alumni as they transitioned from “fellow” status to full-
fedged FSOs upon passing the entry requirements.
PRFA partnered with the Ofce of Recruitment, Examination
and Employment (HR/REE); Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship
Foundation; Charles B. Rangel International Afairs Program; and other
Department afnity groups to help recruit and support ofcers from
traditionally underrepresented groups.
Te Pickering Fellowship honors distinguished U.S. diplomat Ambas-
sador Tomas R. Pickering. Te Rangel International Afairs Fellowship
is named for longtime New York Congressman Charles B. Rangel, who
Group Honors
Assistant Secretary Barr
PRFA Networking Chair Jennifer Handog, right, and Assistant Secretary Barr pose after
Barr received the award for her support of Pickering and Rangel Fellows.
Photo by Johanna Villalobos
Anne Aguilera, a WAE employee in the Bureau of Human Resources works on a
document in her ofﬁce.
Photo by Ed Warner
secured federal funding for the program and championed greater diversity
in foreign afairs careers. Both programs are funded by the Department as
cooperative agreements, overseen and implemented by HR/REE.
Fellows are selected by an independent review panel in a competitive
process that tests candidates’ writing skills, substantive knowledge, knowl-
edge of the Foreign Service and interviewing skills. Te selection panels
are comprised of current and former FSOs, academics and administra-
tors, and seek candidates who demonstrate the potential to succeed in the
Foreign Service.
Tus far, 660 Pickering Fellows and 198 Rangel Fellows have contrib-
uted to the Department’s mission. More information about PRFA and
the Pickering and Rangel Fellows is on the programs’ Facebook pages and
the websites of the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation
and Rangel program.
Annuitants should also actively network with bureau contacts, lobby for
positions and send their resumes to bureau coordinators and contacts. (Te
registry does not allow for posting of resumes due to Privacy Act concerns.)
Several informational resources are available on the Retirement Network
website, including information on the REA/WAE program and program
updates and changes. Frequently asked questions are also posted and up-
dated on a regular basis on Ask HR and AskRNet.
STATE MAGAZINE // OCTOBER 2014 4
• Te Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) is a recruitment
and referral program connecting federal and private sector
employers nationwide with highly motivated college students and
recent graduates with disabilities who wish to be interns or full
time employees. Ofces interested in hiring an intern through
WRP should contact DRAD for additional information and may
review candidates online at www.WRP.gov.
It’s not enough just to hire PWDs as the DOL slogan
suggested. It is equally important to ensure inclusion and
retention through equal opportunities for career advancement.
Managers should provide PWDs, when hired, with the resources,
tools and support to succeed. One such resource available is the
Disability Action Group (DAG), an employee afnity group
which serves as a forum for information exchange and provides
professional development and networking opportunities. For
more information, contact DAG at DAGCouncil@state.gov.
Overcoming stereotypes and ill-informed beliefs about PWDs
will enable us to increase the representation of PWDs in our
workforce, thereby increasing diversity. Expect, employ and
empower are three words that place an important focus on the
hiring, promotion and retention of PWDs. As we continue to
diversify our workforce, let us use this year’s NDEAM theme as a
guiding light to strengthen our commitment to true diversity.
S
ome of us are old enough to remember the slogan from
the 1950s, “Hire the Handicapped: It’s Good Business.”
Although that Department of Labor (DOL) slogan was
used with the best of intentions in advertisements to
employers, it was at times misinterpreted and mocked. Hiring
persons with disabilities (PWDs) was perceived by some to be a
noble act of charity, rather than simply the right thing to do to
increase workforce diversity. While we’ve made progress through the
years as cultural shifts and increased awareness have helped change
prejudicial attitudes, there still remains much work to be done to
increase meaningful employment opportunities for PWDs.
In October of each year, we celebrate National Disability
Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). NDEAM aims to
educate and raise awareness about disability employment issues
and recognize the many contributions made by individuals with
disabilities. As we celebrate 2014 NDEAM, let us refect upon
this year’s theme: “Expect. Employ. Empower.”
Despite advancements, the biggest barriers to employing
PWDs often are preconceived notions and misconceptions
held by well intentioned but uninformed individuals. For
example, many individuals mistakenly believe that employees
or applicants with disabilities are held to a lower standard
than their colleagues. However, PWDs must meet the skill,
experience, education and other requirements of any position
that they hold or seek. Overcoming such stereotypes and
ill-informed beliefs will enable us to move toward increased
representation of PWDs in our workforce.
Te Department and federal government continue to take
steps to ensure our workforce is diverse and inclusive of PWDs.
Tere are many resources and authorities to help:
• Schedule A hiring authority provides for noncompetitive
hiring of qualifed individuals with disabilities without posting
the position on USAJOBS or otherwise advertising the
vacancy. Consequently, Schedule A hiring authority provides
a signifcantly faster mechanism to fll an open position.
Supervisors should contact the Selective Placement Coordinator
in the Disability and Reasonable Accommodation Division
(DRAD) for additional information.
• Tere are also noncompetitive hiring authorities that can
be used to hire eligible veterans. Te Department’s Veterans
Employment Program Manager in the Ofce of Civil Service
Human Resource Management (CSHRM) works with qualifed
veterans, including those with disabilities, to fnd meaningful
employment within the Department and helps them transition
into their position.
Expect. Employ. Empower.
JOHN M. ROBINSON
OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS
Diversity
Notes
5 STATE MAGAZINE // OCTOBER 2014
S
uccessfully engaging an audience on
social media requires diplomatic posts
to balance policy and entertaining
messages, such as posts about U.S.
culture and history. At the U.S. Embassy in
Mexico City, we use lighter postings about
sports and culture as a sort of “candy” to attract
new followers to whom we then feed healthy
portions of “vegetables,” or policy messages.
Mexico City’s Facebook page is one of the
most popular embassy pages in the world
and growing fast: In 2013, our Facebook
“likes” increased from 100,000 to well over
500,000. On Twitter, we began 2013 with
11,551 followers and currently have more
than 30,000. Our feed is ranked sixth in the
region and growing steadily, with about 1,800
new followers per month. We also post to our
YouTube channel and Flickr site several times
per month.
In 2013, the environment, science,
technology and health (ESTH) section
submitted 140 Facebook posts, making it the
strongest contributor to Embassy Mexico’s
social media feeds over the last year. Tese
posts generated 19,349 likes, 3,747 shares
By Dave Moyer, assistant information ofﬁcer,
and Daniel Rocha, ESTH specialist, U.S. Embassy in Mexico City
The right mix of content is key
to social media success in Mexico
Winning
Combo
and 764 comments. Working with the public
afairs section (PAS), ESTH identifed the
following keys to success:
Posts with compelling photos draw
increased attention and engagement from
Facebook and Twitter audiences.
Posts congratulating Mexican scientists
and entrepreneurs for their success are
consistently popular.
Directly tagging an individual or
organization related to a post can extend
its reach.
Te best time to publish and engage the
audience is between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. and on
weekends, when people spend more time on
social media.
With an average of nearly a dozen posts per
day, we don’t want to overwhelm our followers
with text, so we always include an image to
help people decide which postings might be
of interest. Often, the photos were taken at an
ofcial event where an embassy representative
participated or spoke. Ideally, we try to include
an action shot or a candid photo. When
photos are unavailable, we include a logo,
stock photo or icon associated with the topic.
For ESTH, the most liked post of the year
(962 likes) was a congratulatory message to
Mexican photographer Octavio Aburto for
winning an international photo contest called
“Our World Underwater.” Aburto’s astounding
fsh photo was the message. Tis posting
refects another of our best practices: Show
images of Mexicans winning praise outside
of Mexico. It is especially rewarding when
one’s eforts are noticed by an international
organization. In November 2013, we tweeted
a picture of Mexican scientist Mario Molina,
who was awarded the Presidential Medal
of Freedom by President Obama during
a ceremony at the White House. With 38
retweets we reached nearly 3 million people.
Similarly, ESTH posted congratulations to
young social entrepreneur Mariana Gonzalez
for being the frst Mexican to participate
in the Fortune/State Global Women’s
Mentoring program. It was ESTH’s most
popular Facebook posting on the topic of
entrepreneurship, receiving 410 likes, 71 shares
and 31 comments.
One reason the posting was so successful
was because ESTH tagged Gonzalez, making
it easier for her and others to share the
information. Te posting created a chain
reaction of others ofering congratulations.
Gonzalez and her company Ilumexico shared
the story, as did the newspaper Diario de
Morelos, the Autonomous University of
Mexico’s engineering department and business
incubator, and several consulates.
Tagging is not a new concept, but it is often
done haphazardly. In Mexico, we tag individuals
whom we think would be interested in our
posting. In March, ESTH drafted an op-ed
piece for the ambassador for World Wildlife
Day. One of Mexico’s leading daily newspapers,
Milenio, published the op-ed.
But what about those who don’t read the
newspaper? PAS and ESTH compiled a list of 25
leading environmental scientists and researchers
who are active on Twitter. We posted tweets that
linked to the article and tagged these 25 Twitter
leaders to make sure they saw the article and had
the chance to share it with their networks. PAS
Mexico City now shares all op-eds and press
releases via social as well as print media.
Te embassy’s best practices on social
media were learned over time and through
many experiments. Sometimes the best
solution is just to try something and see
what happens. Carefully tracking the metrics
behind postings is essential to tuning social
media strategy and avoiding posts that do not
resonate with the audience.
Members of the embassy public affairs and ESTH teams hit the social media
lab for some experimentation.
Photo by State Department
President Barack Obama awards the 2013 Presidential
Medal of Freedom to Mario Molina at the White House in
November 2013.
White House photo by Lawrence Jackson
STATE MAGAZINE // OCTOBER 2014 6
T
he Ofce of Civil Service Human
Resource Management (HR/
CSHRM) provides services, advice
and assistance to the Department’s
11,000 domestic Civil Service employees
in Washington, D.C., and feld ofces
throughout the country.
CSHRM is also the Department’s liaison with
the Ofce of Personnel Management (OPM),
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
and other federal agencies on issues afecting the
Department’s Civil Service workforce.
Additionally, the ofce assists supervisors
looking for information on flling a vacancy,
ofce managers wanting to improve team
efectiveness, HR specialists needing
clarifcation on policies or understanding of
hiring authorities and employees looking to
advance their Civil Service careers.
More broadly, CSHRM provides HR
solutions and promotes excellence in strategic
human capital management. CSHRM Director
Ray Limon said everyone in CSHRM should
“be a subject matter expert and possess a
high degree of strategic thinking.” Tat’s
because CSHRM supports other HR units of
the Department “by resolving policy issues,
eliminating confusion and providing guidance
where needed,” he explained.
Of CSHRM’s three divisions, the
Accountability Division (CSHRM/A), led
HR Strategists
CSHRM seeks diverse, agile Civil Service
By Josué M. Barrera, executive diversity outreach manager, Ofﬁce of Civil Service Human Resource Management
by CSHRM Deputy Director Kim Bruner,
is responsible for Civil Service HR policy
development, compliance and accountability,
and the evaluation of HR programs. She said
she’s encouraged by the growing capacity of
HR colleagues throughout the Department,
adding, “We are committed to improving the
Department’s HR operations by helping partners
deliver the highest quality HR service possible.”
CSHRM/A employee Kristin Fulcher said
her work involves sharing with HR ofces the
best practices identifed during accountability
reviews. Whether because of its own reviews
or those of OPM or the Ofce of Inspector
General, CSHRM/A updates or formulates Civil
Service policies and guidance,
prevents prohibited personnel
practices and promotes federal
Merit Systems principles. It
also monitors and evaluates
HR programs and activities
through annual Human Capital
Accountability Reviews and
evaluations of Department-level
HR programs.
CSHRM collaborates
with stakeholders on the
institutionalization of HRStat,
a data-driven pilot program
that examines HR management
data and trends. Recent HRStat
reviews covered the Department’s Senior
Executive Service, recruitment, customer
service and work/life programs.
CSHRM’s Career Development and
Training Division (CSHRM/CD), led by
Elizabeth Assink, develops policy for programs
that facilitate career development, training
and mobility for the Civil Service. She
said the division fosters “career growth and
upward mobility by encouraging and helping
employees to refect on their career and create
the environment that encourages educational
and development opportunities to help them
reach their next level.”
Ofﬁce of the Month
Staffers Hak Singh, Patti Wai and Karen Kingsbury hold a hallway meeting.
Photo by Ed Warner
The CSHRM team poses for an ofﬁce portrait.
Photo by Josué M. Barrera
7 STATE MAGAZINE // OCTOBER 2014
Ray Limon is CSHRM director.
State Department photo
CSHRM/CD helps identify the
competencies and skills needed for the
Department’s mission-critical occupations,
and is developing the “career roadmaps” for
employees to develop the skills needed for
such occupations. CSHRM/CD also manages
the Department-USAID Civil Service
Mentoring Program, now in its 11th year.
Te program includes informal situational
mentoring, providing employees with access to
Department leaders worldwide.
CSHRM/CD facilitates short- and
long-term external developmental
opportunities, such as the Congressional
Fellows Programs and opportunities at
the Council on Foreign Relations, and
manages the FLEX Connect program, where
employees can fnd or post developmental
detail opportunities. FLEX Connect recently
received the 2014 Basics Award for Ingenuity
and Results from the Partnership for Public
Service and has been recognized by OPM for
innovative stafng. Managers are working to
build a similar federal-wide program, called
GovConnect.
FLEX Connect was created by a group
of 2013 Excellence in Government Fellows,
including State Department employees
Alyce Abdalla, Amy Christianson and
Blakeney Vasquez.
FLEX Connect Program Manager Shantae
Elliott-Lucas said her work lets her have
an impact by providing leadership and
developmental guidance on CSHRM programs.
CSHRM also runs the Career Development
Resource Center, which has provided career
services for more than 20 years. Senior career
counselors provide individual, confdential
counseling and recurring sessions on topics
such as “Creating and Editing Your Resume.”
Another CSHRM unit, the Executive
Resources and Performance Management
Division (ERPM), administers the Department’s
Senior Executive Service merit stafng process,
including the competitive two-year SES
Candidate Development Program, and evaluates
the performance of Civil Service leaders and
their organizations. Patti Wai and the CSHRM/
ERPM team are also responsible for developing
and implementing Department-level policies
and procedures related to Schedule C
(political) appointments.
Te Department uses the government-wide
SES performance appraisal system, and is
working to incorporate the Department’s
leadership principles into the Civil Service
performance management system. In January,
CSHRM announced changes to the SES
merit stafng process aimed at improving
diversity of the SES applicant pool. Tese
include mandatory outreach plans, ensuring
diversity of the qualifcations review panel
and increased involvement of the Executive
Resources Board, which is responsible for the
overall SES merit stafng process.
CSHRM also includes the Veterans
Employment Program Manager (VEPM), who
provides employment outreach to disabled
veterans, retired and active-duty service
members, and spouses. Te VEPM presents
quarterly training to hiring managers and HR
professionals on the special hiring authorities
tailored to increase the hiring and retention
of veterans. Te Department has increased
its veterans hiring from 13.3 percent in fscal
2010 to 27.4 percent of all Civil Service hires
in fscal 2013.
Te Department’s frst Quadrennial
Diplomacy and Development Review
(QDDR) called for the Department to work
smarter and reform personnel practices, to
develop an agile workforce for changing
conditions. Te second QDDR will likely call
on CSHRM to help the Department adapt to
the demands of a changing workforce. As the
Department’s strategic HR partner, CSHRM
will continue to support the Department’s
eforts to attract, develop, promote and retain
a talented, diverse and motivated workforce.
Te ofce is a place where its own workforce
HR Specialist Ariana O’Sullivan, right, chats with HR
Specialist April Torikai-Bookstaber in the latter’s ofﬁce.
Photo by Ed Warner
feels suitably challenged. Yvette Uhalde, a
CSHRM human resources specialist, said,
“I love that CSHRM’s goals not only touch
HR staf and State employees, but even
reach potential applicants. CSHRM’s goals
help ensure as fair, equitable and efective a
recruitment and stafng system as possible.”
STATE MAGAZINE // OCTOBER 2014 8
B

eyond the competition’s drama,
the 2014 World Cup ofered a
great opportunity for Mission Brazil to unite
and intensify its sports diplomacy eforts under
the mission “Sports for All” initiative, which
will guide mission sports diplomacy program-
ming through the 2016 Summer Olympics
and Paralympics in Brazil, and supports
mission goals of promoting education, social
inclusion, youth empowerment and exchanges,
and English language learning.
Even before Ambassador Liliana Ayalde
launched “Sports for All” alongside the U.S.
Men’s National Soccer Team during its January
training camp in Sao Paulo, mission program-
ming was underway, made possible with
signifcant support from the SportsUnited
division. Te ongoing Estrelas (Shooting
Stars) program, developed with key Brazilian
partners, includes a project targeting female
soccer players and one bringing together boys
and girls around basketball. Over the past two
years, the program has provided training in
English, sports and leadership skills to nearly
100 underprivileged girls and boys from the
poorest areas of Sao Paulo.
One was Ana Paula Silva Santos, now a
shining example of an Estrela de Futebol
(Soccer Star). Despite growing up kicking a
soccer ball around her neighborhood, Ana
Paula was an outsider in what is largely a
man’s sport in Brazil. She played on the street
with boys, but they were often rough and
disrespectful, she said.
Ten she found the Estrelas program,
which she said “saved many of our lives,
because we didn’t have anything to do before.
Now, we do what we love, which is play
soccer and speak English.”
Trough Estrelas, she played for the
frst time on an all-girls team, which was
“like being part of a family.” Tis sense of
belonging leads to greater confdence and
empowerment of the feld. Research by the
Women’s Sports Foundation confrims the
positive impact of sports on girls and women,
and found that girls participating in sports
more often excel in school and are less likely
to engage in risky behaviors.
Mission Brazil is exploring expanding the
Estrelas model nationally to reach many more
marginalized youth.
Goal
By Matt Ferner, Presidential Management Fellow, SportsUnited division,
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
Sports diplomacy scores big for mission
In another example of female-focused
“Sports for All” programming, the mission
has since May 2013 hosted female sports
envoys, including World Cup winners and
Olympic gold medalists Brandi Chastain, Julie
Foudy and Tifany Roberts Sahaydak, as well
as collegiate star Erica Woda. It also sent a
group of young female Brazilian soccer players
to the United States for a sports exchange
and conducted a soccer tournament dubbed
“Copinha do Mundo” (Mini World Cup).
Tese programs provided many girls with
their frst experiences of being coached by
women or participating in organized, all-girls
sporting events. In particular instances, female
participation in soccer has skyrocketed as a
result of the programs.
Boys, too, have benefted from mission
programs. Cobi Jones, an American soccer
icon, taught leadership and teamwork to
youths from areas of the country that do
not often receive mission programming.
Capturing the essence of the “Sports for All”
message, a Brazilian coach said one of Cobi’s
clinics “flled my players with inspiration
and confdence, because for the frst time we
Ambassador Ayalde, center rear in striped shirt, stands with
the U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT) and the Estrelas de
Futebol during the USMNT training camp in Sao Paulo.
Photo by Fernanda Salatini
!!!
9 STATE MAGAZINE // OCTOBER 2014
Estrelas de Futebol participant Ana Paula Silva
Santos competes at the University of Tennessee
during a SportsUnited Visitor program.
Photo by Elisa Platillero
attended an event without being
discriminated against for not having
a uniform or being from a violent
area of the city.”
To ensure that mega-events like
the World Cup have a trickle-down
beneft within Brazil, the State
Department is piloting a program
called “Sport for Community:
Emerging Leaders in Action.”
Tat uses the energy generated by
mega-sporting events to empower
local leaders in sport-based youth
development organizations. One
such leader, Gabriel Mayr de
Oliveira Silva, founded Urece Sports
and Culture for the Blind in Rio
de Janeiro, a leading organization
behind the success of the visually
impaired Brazilian national soccer
team, which has won three straight
Paralympic gold medals. “Sport for
Community” will match Gabriel
with a mentor from a U.S.-based
organization for a month-long
mentorship in the United States that
aims to help him gain the skills and
networks to increase Urece’s success.
Fourteen other emerging leaders
from Brazil will also be matched
with a mentor through the program.
Trough “Sports for All,” the
Department and Mission Brazil are
demonstrating the power of sports
in promoting mutual understanding
and social inclusion. As Secretary of
State John Kerry put it: “Sports are “a
way to communicate with people …
[Tey] break down the barriers, prove
commonality, take away any of the
sense of ‘We’re diferent’ or ‘You’re
diferent’ and make people the same
with the same common passions. It’s
a very strong language.”

STATE MAGAZINE // OCTOBER 2014 10
W

hen one employee of the U.S.
Embassy in Baghdad got out of bed on April
19, he did not put on a suit; he dressed in old
clothes, knowing he would get roughed up
in a car accident that day. He was one of the
employees who had volunteered to be role
players in an enactment of a trafc accident for
a large-scale crisis management exercise (CME).
Tis two-hour exercise was designed to
prepare Embassy Baghdad personnel and their
Iraqi counterparts to handle crises. “Te more
serious the situation, the harder we depend on
pre-established working relationships,” said
Deputy Regional Security Ofcer for Protective
Operations Paul Kennedy. “We saw how this
training had benefted not only the Iraqis, but
the embassy in coordinating our own response.”
In preparation for the CME, Embassy
Baghdad’s Security Protective Specialist Dave
Shearman, the lead designer and exercise
director, had a construction tractor smash fve
defunct embassy vehicles which had previously
been marked for destruction. He then had
the cars moved into tight positions to make
it more challenging for the frst-responders to
extract the injured.
On the morning of the exercise, 13
volunteers reported to the embassy’s annex,
where they were made up to appear injured.
Ten, Shearman directed everybody to their
places, where they were to play passengers
in a diplomatic motorcade. With Iraqi and
American VIPs observing from a covered
viewing area, controlled chaos ensued. Smoke
flled the air. People ran hither and thither.
Walkie-talkies beeped and buzzed. Moans and
groans emanated from the injured.
Other role players immediately contacted
the embassy command center and secured the
perimeter against possible attackers. Tey also
stepped in to provide triage care, assessing who
needed immediate treatment, when they realized
the medic in the embassy motorcade was among
the injured. Moments into the exercise, the
embassy’s Tactical Operations Center processed
By Suzanne K. Whang, editor, Bureau of
Diplomatic Security
Photos by Jamie Berlowitz
No Accident
Exercise boosts
Baghdad’s readiness
A helicopter arrives at the scene of the accident to medevac the injured to the
Baghdad Diplomatic Support Hospital.
the distress call and, after receiving clearance
from the government of Iraq, coordinated the
dispatch of emergency response teams and assets
to the scene of the accident.
As soon as they arrived, the emergency
responders saw that they were outnumbered
by the seriously injured. Tis was by design,
to make the exercise more challenging. With
the clock ticking, responders tried several
methods to extract the eight injured people
trapped in the twisted Chevrolet Suburbans.
Tey decided to use the “Jaws of Life” tool to
pry open the vehicles. Ten they performed
triage on the victims, while the CME’s sole
interpreter translated shouts and orders into
Arabic and English.
Fifteen minutes into the exercise, heli-
copters and ambulances arrived to transport
the injured Iraqis to a local hospital and fy
embassy personnel to the emergency room of
the Diplomatic Support Hospital in Baghdad.
Shearman had asked the doctors to design
mock injuries that would stretch their medical
capabilities. Tus, incoming role players
arrived with broken bones, burns, hemor-
rhages and head and spine injuries.
One mock medical procedure included
use of a robot that provided live video to
specialty surgeons at a U.S. university hospital.
Tousands of miles away, these specialists
could observe the operation and advise the
on-site surgeons.
When the exercise was over and all the
equipment had been put away, the analysis
began. Shearman put together an after-action
report that assessed 220 embassy participants
from nearly all entities of the mission,
including the ambassador’s ofce, Regional
Security Ofce, Health Unit, Technical
Operations Center, Diplomatic Support
Hospital and Embassy Air Iraq. Embassy
personnel involved in the exercise and analysis
engaged in dialogue and information sharing
with multiple Iraqi agencies.
Te CME’s lessons translate seamlessly to
other emergencies in high-threat environments.
Diferences in emergency response protocol,
language barriers and legal restrictions afect
almost all crises. “When I was in Basrah in 2012,
a driver of a semi-trailer—who was texting at
the time—rammed into the motorcade I was
commanding,” said Shearman. “Tat accident
brought up a lot of questions we simply didn’t
have answers to, such as what emergency
response capabilities did the host nation possess?
How willing and able were they to respond to
our emergencies? Are there areas within the
embassy we could improve?
“Tis joint exercise,” he continued,
“yielded a lot of critical information
that will prevent us from going into
an emergency situation blind. But the
main value was the opportunity to
build relationships among the embassy
and Iraqi law enforcement, emergency
responders and government security
counterparts that will help us jointly
handle other crisis events.”
Iraqi and Embassy Baghdad emergency responders rush
the role players to the hospital.
11 STATE MAGAZINE // OCTOBER 2014
I

n the deserts of Libya, as Muammar
al-Qadhaf’s regime crumbled, a new threat
emerged: Te disintegration of Qadhaf’s
government brought to light a new store of
undeclared chemical and conventional weapons
that had been long hidden or forgotten. How
Libya and the United States reacted to the
discoveries shows how weapons proliferation can
be stopped when a committed partner and the
international community work together toward a
common goal.
In 2009, President Obama warned an
audience in Prague of non-state actors
acquiring the materials to create weapons
of mass destruction and urged all nations
to secure dangerous materials and reduce
weapons stocks. Secretary of State John Kerry
echoed the President’s message when, in
Senate testimony in 2013, he noted that gas
warfare during World War I caused most of
the world to ban chemical weapons.
Before the start of Libya’s revolution in
2011, roughly half of the country’s key
chemical agents in its declared stock of bulk
chemical weapons had been destroyed in
accordance with the Chemical Weapons
Convention. A mechanical failure kept the
rest from being destroyed, and after the
revolution broke out, destruction ground to
a halt. After the Qadhaf regime fell, Tripoli’s
new government told the Organization for the
Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) it
had found a stockpile of previously undeclared
chemical weapons.
Typically, the OPCW responds to such
reports by sending inspectors to verify the
munitions’ destruction, but Libya’s volatile
post-civil war environment made it unsafe for
OPCW inspectors to do their work.
At the State Department, the bureaus
of Arms Control, Verifcation and
Compliance (AVC), International Security
and Nonproliferation (ISN), and Political
Military Afairs (PM) worked with the Libyan
government and the OPCW to secure and
destroy the munitions to prevent them from
falling into terrorists’ hands. Te frst step was
for the U.S. Embassy in Tripoli to negotiate
an agreement with the Libyan government
by which the Libyan National Authority, the
government’s ofcial liaison to the OPCW,
would provide support in the feld to keep
the weapons site secure and also provide
transportation to it.
To help augment security of the site, ISN
contracted with a U.S.-based company called
Advantor Systems Corporation, which assessed the
security needs of the site and made recommenda-
tions to the Libyan National Authority. With
Libya’s approval, Advantor hardened the weapons
storage bunkers and installed security equipment,
actions that later earned it the Department’s 2013
Small Business Contractor award.
At the storage site, Advantor found a
signifcant number of conventional arms and
unexploded ordnance. Te PM bureau assisted
with the site clean-up as part of its country
wide, multilateral response to the threat from
Libya’s unsecured stockpiles of conventional
weapons. Eventually, PM removed more than
1,000 abandoned conventional weapons from
that location.
With the site fnally secure, thanks to ISN’s
contract with Advantor and PM’s removal of
the conventional weapons and unexploded
ordinance, the OPCW was fnally able to
deploy its inspectors to verify the destruction
of the chemical weapons.
Tis wasn’t just a State Department afair.
Te Department of Defense’s Defense Treat
Reduction Agency (DTRA) helped the
Libyans destroy the chemical munitions under
its Cooperative Treat Reduction Program.
DTRA provided destruction technology,
expertise and training to Libyan operators. Te
shifting political environment and uncertain
security in Libya made the destruction eforts
more challenging, but the munitions were all
destroyed by May.
Some work still remains, since all precursor
chemicals for the weapons-making process have
not been destroyed, but these chemicals do not
pose the same proliferation risk as did the bulk
chemical agent or chemical weapons themselves.
Te Libyan example demonstrates how
interagency and multilateral cooperation and
hard work can signifcantly improve interna-
tional security. Trough timely action, U.S.
interagency coordination and international
cooperation, the Libya chemical weapons
elimination efort became a nonproliferation
success story. Complex issues and dangerous
environments inherently make nonprolifera-
tion and disarmament difcult to achieve,
yet they remain some of the most worthwhile
pursuits of diplomacy. As President Obama
reminded the world in Prague, sometimes “we
must ignore the voices that tell us the world
cannot change.”
PM’s Quick Reaction Force supervises a team clearing
a battle area.
Department of State photo
Advantor representatives receive the Department’s
2013 Small Business Award from Under Secretary of
State for Management Pat Kennedy, far right.
Photo by Eric Lund
Safer World
Bureaus help secure Libyan chemical weapons
By Eric Lund, public diplomacy ofﬁcer, and Leah Matchett, intern,
Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation
The idyllic waterfront of La Baie des Tortues Luth resort is a popular day-trip
destination from Libreville, especially among those seeking to view leatherback
turtles laying their eggs on nearby beaches at night.
Post of the Month
Story and Photos by Isaac D. Pacheco
Dual-hatted mission tackles diplomacy on African continent and in the Gulf of Guinea
Libreville
STATE MAGAZINE // OCTOBER 2014 14
L

ibreville, the capital and
largest city in Gabon, is
situated approximately 30 miles north of the
equator on the west coast of Central Africa.
Te city is a trade center for the small African
nation and home to slightly more than a third
of the nation’s 1.5 million residents. Located
at the mouth of the Komo River, near the
confuence of the Gabon Estuary and Gulf of
Guinea, the city serves as a strategic port and
transit point for the country’s timber industry
and other exporters.
“Gabon has all the potential benefts that you
would want as you head into this century. It has
hydrocarbon resources; abundant, fertile land;
abundant water; minerals—manganese, iron ore
and the like—and it doesn’t, like most African
countries, have signifcant population pressure,”
said Dante Paradiso, former chargé d’afaires
of U.S. Embassy Libreville. “Gabon only has a
million and a half people, and as a result it has
the potential to develop rapidly and successfully
become the hub that it aspires to be.”
Despite its small size and location in a
traditionally turbulent region of Africa,
Libreville is one of the most expensive cities
in the world, due largely to the petroleum
revenue that fows through it. Te oil-
dominated economy has given Gabon’s
residents a per capita income several times
higher than most other nations in sub-Saharan
Africa, but income disparity remains high due
to fnancial management issues.
“Reform is an open process and you have
to take the long view,” said Paradiso. “You’re
looking at a country that had 40-plus years of
one president. Now, his son, who was elected,
is a very, very diferent person and has actively
demonstrated intent to reform.”
While Libreville has its interesting highlights,
Gabon’s most impressive oferings are found in
the surrounding mangroves and rainforest in
nearby national parks. Tese protected areas are
home to a rich assortment of fauna, including
the largest remaining herds of forest elephants
as well as hippos, mandrill and hundreds of bird
species. Te mangroves of Pongara National
Park are an important breadbasket for the fsh
population in the estuary.
Te country’s extensive national parks
system and bounty of wildlife make it an ideal
candidate for eco-tourism, and the country
is working to put the necessary supporting
infrastructure in place. Despite these hurdles,
Gabon is an important partner for the
United States, and the embassy’s primary
objectives include promoting regional security
related to Gulf of Guinea maritime security,
strengthening democratic institutions and
rule of law, increasing economic trade and
investment, and protecting the environment.
“Gabon is a country with a history of
stability in Central Africa, which is known
to be a very rough neighborhood,” said
Paradiso. “It is also host to the Economic
Community of Central African States (ECAS
or CEEAC by its French acronym). It has the
clear potential over time to become a regional
hub for trade and security.”
While challenging, an assignment in
Libreville has its advantages, including a top-tier
international school for ofcers’ school-age
children and some of the nicest housing in the
region. Due to the small size of the embassy, even
entry-level Foreign Service ofcers tackle high-
visibility projects and have opportunities to work
on assignments outside their career cones.
It’s “a great opportunity for upcoming or
fast-rising ofcers because you get signifcant
responsibility right of the bat,” said
Paradiso. “Across the board, you’ll have the
responsibility, you’ll be expected to perform at
a high level, the career path is great, and the
issues are really interesting. One of the neat
things about this career is that there is a lot of
space to defne the things you’re interested in,
that you care passionately about, and you can
do that in Libreville and in the AF Bureau,
more importantly,” he added.
Moreover, following the successful African
Leaders’ Summit in August 2014, Gabon
wants to increase its engagement with the
United States in all felds of activity. Gabon
will host the 2015 Ministerial Forum of
the African Growth and Opportunity Act
and has signaled its interest in concluding a
Bilateral Investment Treaty, joining the Open
Government Partnership, and increasing high
level exchanges.
Post of the Month Libreville / São Tomé
1
15 STATE MAGAZINE // OCTOBER 2014

1. The Gabon Estuary is an important stopping point for migrating birds, and home to
a number of year-round residents like pelicans and other seabirds.
2. A heavy mist settles over the rainforest canopy after a downpour in Akanda
National Park.
3. An aerial view looking east shows Libreville hugging the shoreline of the
Gabon Estuary.
4. A group of girls walk home from a local market in downtown Libreville during a
summer rain shower.
2 3
4
Post of the Month Libreville / São Tomé
O

ne of the highlights of serving
in Libreville is visiting the
embassy’s idyllic constituent
post in Sao Tome and
Principe. Embassy Libreville provides consular
services and diplomatic representation to the
Lusophone island nation, located of the coast
of French-speaking Gabon in the Gulf of
Guinea’s warm equatorial waters.
From afar, São Tomé (the larger of the
two main islands that comprise the country)
appears at frst to be an apparition looming
out of an endless azure expanse. As the mist-
shrouded emerald shore comes into focus,
the sounds of forest life and the earthy scents
of rain-soaked vegetation beckon the weary
traveler. Portuguese explorers who discovered
the uninhabited island and its smaller northern
neighbor, Príncipe, in the 1470s may have
believed that they had found paradise upon
viewing its lush rainforests, savannah-like
coastal plains and sparkling blue lagoons.
For such a small island, São Tomé has an
impressive array of microclimates. While the
rainforest-covered interior and lush southeastern
mangroves are typical of the equatorial biome,
the north coastal region is more arid, with
subtropical grasslands due to the rain shadow
efect of the perpetually overcast highlands.
From pumice-strewn beaches, where
lowland rainforest creeps down hillsides into
the ocean, to savanna-like plains dotted with
baobab and coconut palms, to beryl lagoons
that glisten in the tropical sun, São Tomé’s
north coast is a breathtaking respite from
the hustle and bustle of life of island and
a reminder that nature can still inspire
with its beauty.
Te only permanent State Department
presence in this picturesque locale is an
ofce at the Voice of America broadcasting
station manned by three Locally Employed
Staf members. However, Embassy
Libreville personnel regularly visit for
ofcial functions. Nelson Antonio Abreu
de Assuncao, who works as the economic,
commercial and public diplomacy assistant
on the island, said his multifaceted job
is rewarding because it allows him to
collaborate on projects that directly beneft
people in his community.

1. A young man checks text messages on his phone on the
stoop of the chapel in Agostinho Neto plantation.

2. Boys play outside a former plantation building that is
still used for drying cocoa.
3. Women selling jackfruit at a market along the island’s
main highway enjoy several slices for themselves while
exchanging gossip on a typically idyllic evening.

4. Boca de Inferno (“Mouth of Hell”) is an opening in the
volcanic rock along the shoreline of eastern São Tomé.
Water is channelled through a blowhole in the formation
during high tide creating a geyser effect.

5. Due to the island’s small size and limited number
of large roads, motorcycles are a popular form of
transportation.

6. A woman watches out for trafﬁc as she crosses the
island’s main highway with her groceries.

7. A dugout canoe made from Kapok rests on the rocky
beach at Lagoa Azul.

2
3
1
4
STATE MAGAZINE // OCTOBER 2014 18
“We have the self-help program where
we provide small funds to people in small
locations that can beneft the communities,”
he said. “We do it with the involvement of
the community … Te embassy fnances one
part and the community has to participate by
working on the other part.”
Historically, the islands’ tropical climates
and abundance of fertile volcanic soil, as
well as their proximity to mainland Africa,
made them attractive for agriculture and
trade for Portuguese colonizers. However, few
Portuguese citizens wanted to relocate to an
isolated archipelago in the Gulf of Guinea
to grow sugar, so the Portuguese imported
slaves from mainland Africa (primarily from
modern-day Angola) for the back-breaking
work on their sugar roças (plantations).
As sugar exports from other Portuguese
colonies such as Brazil became cheaper,
cultivation declined in São Tomé and sugar
was replaced by cacao. Te island soon
emerged as the world’s preeminent supplier
of cocoa.
Portugal abolished slavery in 1876, but the
island’s former slave population continued
to toil under oppressive conditions until the
1950s when general unrest culminated in riots
and eventually a movement for liberation. Sao
Tome and Principe achieved independence in
1975, and today the country boasts a stable,
representative democracy.
After independence, many plantations were
abandoned by their European owners and
have fallen into disrepair or been reclaimed
by the jungle. However, a number of small
communities still exist in and around these
defunct production centers. Tough no longer
the global production leader, the island nation
still relies heavily on cocoa as its primary export.
“It’s a unique culture, so it’s a great
opportunity for cultural engagement,” said
Paradiso. “If someone were ever able to fgure
out a somewhat cost-efective way to get folks
to São Tomé, there would be a booming tourist
industry. But the islands are very remote and
relatively unknown, so part of our goal is to tell
the story of São Tomé a little bit more broadly.”

A girl walks down the main avenue of Agostinho Neto, a former plantation that is now a thriving community.
São Tomé (Portuguese for “Saint Tomas”)
is the capital and largest city in Sao Tome
and Principe, and home to the island nation’s
primary airport and seaport. Te picturesque
city overlooks Ana Chaves Bay and features
a number of Portuguese colonial buildings.
As home to nearly a third of São Tomé and
Príncipe’s residents, the capital is the country’s
cultural epicenter, and frequently hosts
national festivals and celebrations. Despite its
comparatively urban setting, life still seems to
move at the same leisurely pace as elsewhere
on the island.
Embassy Libreville’s former public afairs
ofcer, Kevin Krapf, helped spearhead
an ongoing Arts Envoy program in São
Tomé that relies on cultural exchange
and community interaction to refurbish
classrooms in the country’s only public
university and revitalize a central square
and community meeting place in one of the
island’s fshing villages. According to Krapf,
this socially engaged art program integrates
local artistic styles and materials into projects

Post of the Month Libreville / São Tomé
that have “a profound meaning for [São
Toméans] and is tied into their ingenuity,
their history and their traditions.”
In a region of the world where the
challenges sometimes seem to outnumber the
solutions, Embassy Libreville stands out as a
post on the leading edge of positive change.
Whether engaging on shared interests with
the Gabonese on the mainland or seeking
respite on the quiet shores of São Tomé, the
embassy ofcers have one of the more unusual
postings in the Foreign Service and myriad
opportunities to tackle substantive issues that
have regional and international relevance.

São Tomé residents strike up a friendly conversation in
front of a colorful building in the city center.

G
l
a
n
c
e
Sources: The World Factbook
Chief of Mission Promotes T-Tip with Cross Country Ride
Sweden Bike Tour
By Ambassador Mark Brzezinski, U.S. Ambassador to Sweden Photos by Carl Hvenmark-Nilsson.
O
ne of the things I like most about Sweden is visiting the towns and villages that dot the
countryside. Many of these places were the hometowns of the ancestors of the estimated nine
million Americans who can claim at least some Swedish ancestry. Just as the promise of new
opportunity brought the people of Sweden and the United States closer together in the late 19th
and early 20th centuries, today the promise of deepening ties through the Trans-Atlantic Trade
and Investment Partnership (T-TIP) can make the connection between our countries, our people
and our businesses stronger than ever.
Tis summer, a team of Embassy Stockholm staf, including two colleagues from the public afairs section, our Marine
Security Guard Detachment commander and I biked from Sweden’s west coast to its east coast. We called our adventure
T-TRIP. Our goal was to visit the towns and villages, and talk with the people and companies that will beneft from
increased trade and investment between the United States and Sweden. We went outside the walls of the embassy and the
city limits of Stockholm to hear frsthand from people about their hopes and concerns regarding T-TIP.
We started our journey on the water’s edge at the port of Gothenburg, which for centuries has been the starting point
for many journeys to the United States. Gothenburg was the point of departure for more than one million Swedes who
emigrated to the United States in the 19th and 20th centuries. Today, the port is a focal point for U.S.-Swedish maritime
trade. We were honored to have Gothenburg Mayor Anneli Hulthén give us a tour of the port and ride alongside our
T-TRIP team as we started the journey.
Our frst stop was Alingsås, where we met with local business leaders and young entrepreneurs to discuss how T-TIP
could help create and expand innovative start-ups on both sides of the Atlantic. Up next was Falköping, where we toured
a dairy farm and met with local farmers. We talked about how T-TIP could expand trade in agricultural products and
ultimately mean more choices for consumers. Still dressed in our biking clothes, the T-TRIP team toured Falbygdens Energi,
Sweden’s frst energy storage plant facility for low-voltage networks. Representatives from the company pointed out that
T-TIP would make it easier for the two countries to share clean energy technologies and renewable fuel solutions.
Knowing that our future lies in the hands of the next generation, we pedaled on to the University of Skövde, the
largest education center for gaming and computer science in Sweden. We met with students, faculty and municipality
STATE MAGAZINE // OCTOBER 2014 20
The author, center, with former
Swedish Prime Minister Göran
Persson and his wife Anitra Steen.
representatives for a conversation on what
T-TIP would mean for the future of innovative
and creative technologies.
I have to admit, three days and a couple
hundred miles into the journey, fatigue started
to set in. We met with some heavy rains,
but soldiered on. While our primary focus
was the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment
Partnership, some of our meetings highlighted
other aspects of the extensive U.S.-Sweden
relationship. We stopped at a military school
to meet Swedish soldiers who served in
Afghanistan, Kosovo and elsewhere, and
Stjärnhov, to have a fka (a Swedish-style cofee
break) with former Prime Minister Göran
Persson. We had a great discussion about
foreign policy, T-TIP and sustainable energy.
One of the last stops on this week-long
journey was Södertälje, one of Sweden’s largest
communities of refugees, many of whom came
from Syria and Iraq. Tis small city of about
80,000 people has taken in more Iraqi refugees
than United States and Canada combined. In
a conversation with refugees and community
leaders, the T-TRIP team learned about
programs in the city to promote integration
and tolerance. I told them about the U.S.
Embassy’s ongoing commitment to promote
diversity and integration.
We then spent the afternoon at the
Scania, one of the world’s largest producers
of industrial vehicles. We learned how duties
and regulatory hurdles have hampered Scania’s
U.S. business and discouraged investment in
the United States, which creates jobs. As a
special treat, we traded our bicycles for buses
and test drove some Scania buses and semi-
trailer trucks around Scania’s test track.
After one week of biking 400 miles across
the Swedish countryside, the T-TRIP team
arrived back home in Stockholm. Our
journey ended at the Carnegie Brewery, a
joint venture between Carlsberg Brewery
and the New York-based Brooklyn Brewery.
(Stockholm is Brooklyn Brewery’s largest
market outside of New York.) We were
greeted by Swedish Trade Minister Ewa
Björling and friends from the American
Chamber of Commerce, the American Club
and of course the embassy community.
Our T-TRIP has been one of the highlights
of my tenure in Sweden. We got to meet
hundreds of people in towns across the country
and hear from them frsthand how we can work
together to make the relationship between the
United States and Sweden even stronger.
The riders meet students and faculty
from the University of Skövde.
21 STATE MAGAZINE // OCTOBER 2014
By Mich Coker, economic ofﬁcer, and Lukas Jaakson,
development projects special assistant, U.S. Embassy in Lomé,
and Jennifer Aldridge, Army Corps of Engineers Public Affairs
DOS, DOD partner on development aid to Togo
Big Changes, Small Place
T

o help advance President
Barack Obama’s call to promote
opportunity and development in
sub-Saharan Africa, the U.S. Embassy in Lomé
is partnering with Togolese communities
on a range of cooperative eforts that seek
to capitalize on the relatively limited U.S.
government funds allocated to Togo.
A small nation on the West African coast, Togo
lacks the physical presence of USAID or any
other U.S. agency besides the State Department
and Peace Corps. Nevertheless, Embassy Lomé
has implemented a diversity of U.S.-funded
development programs there. In visibility and
impact, no efort has been more signifcant
in recent years than the embassy’s partnership
with the Department of Defense (DOD)
Humanitarian Assistance Program (HAP).
In Togo, HAP involves a relationship
between the DOD’s U.S. Africa Command,
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
and Embassy Lomé. Tey collaborate to
propose, design and implement construction
projects, ranging from schools to clinics to
waste transfer stations. HAP is one of the
U.S. government’s most conspicuous forms
of diplomacy and outreach in Togo, and its
highly visible projects provide signifcant,
long-term impact.
Despite its size, Togo recently received
around 10 percent of HAP’s total budget
allocation for sub-Saharan
Africa, refecting the need
and the quality of projects
proposed by Togolese
communities. In recent
years, most HAP funding
for Togo has gone toward
promoting public
health, sanitation and
education. Te seven
active construction
sites spread across Togo’s fve regions
demonstrate the program’s broad reach.
Several involve school construction.
“Education plays a very important role in the
development and stability of nations,” said
Ambassador Robert Whitehead at the opening
of a HAP-funded primary school three hours
northeast of Lomé. He noted that schools are
where children develop curiosity and “look
beyond their borders and are exposed to other
experiences and languages.”
Te community greeted the ambassador
with traditional Togolese revelry. Hundreds of
villagers sang and danced at the unveiling of
the new schoolhouse, which includes several
classrooms, ofces and latrines.
As elsewhere in Togo, the schoolhouse
resulted from a grassroots efort to identify a
community need and submit a competitive
proposal for U.S. funding. Because HAP
projects are driven by community demand,
they have a sterling track record in meeting
needs. Tado Development Committee
representative Kokou Dzenkpovi said the new
school has changed lives. “Before the school was
built, parents had to walk into the bush to look
for grass that could serve as roofng material for
the school huts,” he noted. “Now we are very
happy about our solid, secure building.”
Dzenkpovi said attendance increased,
as has students’ interest in learning. Te
Embassy Development Team confrmed
this during a recent visit, noting higher
attendance, reduced truancy and
increased
confdence among
local children.
Troughout
Togo, HAP is
funding $1.8
million in
construction and
Representatives
from the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers
from Embassy Lomé
inspect progress of
the Gblainvie School
project in April.

Photo by
Jennifer Aldridge
renovation. Te facilities are designed to use local resources for long-term
sustainment in regions where humanitarian needs may pose major challenges
to stability, prosperity and respect for human values. When possible, the
program uses local subcontractors and laborers for construction, providing
economic opportunity in communities where new construction projects are
often few and far between.
As work progresses on a secondary school in Atomé, village chief Fagnidé
Djagnikpo said he looks forward to having a safe place for children to
attend classes without having to worry about the local rainy season. “In the
new school, rainwater won’t destroy the students’ books. Teir writing on
the chalkboard won’t get wet and disappear,” Djagnikpo said.
To improve access and reduce disease, HAP is also building healthcare
facilities, such as the Agbavé Health Clinic, which will serve 800 people in
seven surrounding villages. Upon completion, it will have a reception area,
labor and delivery rooms, pharmacy, recovery room, covered bathing area
and garden, plus a rainwater-collection system and latrine building.
A midwife, who works out of a teacher’s house in Agbavé and lacks
access to medical equipment or a healthcare facility, said, “Most of the
time, expectant mothers don’t make it [to see a healthcare provider for
prenatal care]. With the new clinic, more people will be saved.”
Farther north, at Dapaong Regional Hospital, a pathology lab is being
expanded to ofer a waiting area, reception desk, lab room, doctor’s ofce,
storage area and latrines. In the current facility, blood is drawn, vaccines
are administered and results are shared with patients in one congested
area, said Dr. Agbenoko Kodjo, the laboratory chief. “We will be able to
see up to 70 people a day in the new lab,” he said. “It will be easy to serve
the community.”
A clinic and transfer station were recently completed in Lomé as part
of the HAP program. Te clinic serves a populous area, while the transfer
station reduces the risk of spreading infectious disease. Vehicles dump
trash into large bins, from which trucks take the trash to landflls outside
the capital.
Beyond Togo’s current slate of HAP projects, “USACE continues
to be available to contribute our engineering expertise in support of
development, diplomacy and defense goals in Togo and the whole of
Africa,” said Program Manager Kornell Rancy.
HAP projects are meeting their objective of dramatically and
sustainably improving humanitarian conditions. In many cases, they
deliver health and educational resources that have been absent or lacking
for decades.
Te good cheer that accompanies inauguration of a new project is
often palpable. Te sometimes shy Togolese villagers freely express their
gratitude. Welcoming construction of a new primary school, village chief
Togbui Yegbé Kokou Kini said, “Only God can learn the joy I have in my
heart. We were waiting a long time for this project.”
Fagnide Djagnikpo, the Atome chief, makes a point to embassy
representatives during their visit in April.
Photo by Jennifer Aldridge
Local women cheer as ofﬁcials arrive for the Lankouvi Garbage Depot’s
inauguration.
Photo by Essowe Benjamen Simyeli
P
h
o
t
o

b
y

J
e
n
n
i
f
e
r

A
l
d
r
i
d
g
e
of embassy economic ofcers, local
entrepreneurs and partners.
Te Startup Weekend arose from discussions
at the American Corner, a “makerspace” that
has tools to make product prototypes, including
3D printers, laser cutters and digital media.
Makerspaces are catalysts for innovation
and entrepreneurialism, which are tightly
interconnected in the American and Canadian
economies. Te two countries have the world’s
largest trade relationship—about $2 billion
each day.
“Startups are engines of job creation,”
said Ambassador Bruce Heyman in
welcoming remarks at the Startup Weekend.
“Entrepreneurs intent on growing their
businesses create the lion’s share of new jobs in
every part of the United States and Canada and
in every industry. It is entrepreneurs who will
build the new industries of the 21st century and
W
hat does a “smart” doormat that
could send messages to its owner
have in common with an online
tea store or a disposable device
that could determine if an athlete is at risk of
injury? Tey were all business ideas that were
pitched by 60 young entrepreneurs during the
U.S. Embassy in Ottawa’s Startup Weekend,
June 13–15.
Te aspiring entrepreneurs from across
Canada were paired with seasoned business
mentors to collaborate, learn and share ideas
and skills. Te competition’s aim: Create a
winning startup business proposal.
After an evening of motivational speeches
and a furry of ideas, participants formed
teams and set to work. For 54 hours over three
days, they conducted market research, coded
and designed websites, built prototypes and
refned their pitches, which were judged at
the Sunday evening fnale where the teams
showcased their work.
Startup Weekends, a program of the
U.S. non-proft Up Global, responds to
President Obama’s 2011 call for increased
federal support for entrepreneurialism.
Up Global, which evolved from the White
House Startup America initiative to boost
entrepreneurialism, got a boost when it
partnered with the State Department in
January. Secretary of State John Kerry
called for the Department to ofer Startup
Weekends in 1,000 cities around the world.
For the Ottawa event, Up Global provided
expertise and a facilitator, while the post’s
American Corner partner, the Ottawa Public
Library, ofered a spacious workspace and
Google Canada provided all participant meals.
Te 60 participants were chosen from
a feld of 200 applicants by a committee
Startup Weekend
By Kyle Johnson, senior public affairs advisor, U.S. Embassy in Ottawa
Embassy Ottawa event inspires business creation
STATE MAGAZINE // OCTOBER 2014 24
solve some of our toughest global challenges.”
Although attendees were almost all strangers,
with not much more than a startup idea, they
found the weekend to be a winning formula for
sharing passions, building new communities
of entrepreneurs and learning business startup
skills, all while having fun.
Participant Cassidy Roberts praised
participants’ “cool backgrounds and
experiences” and said “getting to know them
was the best part.” Te connections she made
are helping her with the business she’s building.
“I know the embassy was looking to foster
entrepreneurship, and they did that with this
event, not just with the business from the
weekend but from the outstanding delegates
that they brought to attend,” she said.
Another participant, Jean Phillip Mallette,
lauded participants for their camaraderie and
support, while participant Brad LeBlanc was
glad to be part of “an energetic and diverse
group.” He said the embassy team “was
amazing … To be able to plan, manage and
execute an event at this scale is nothing short
of incredible.”
Startup Weekend’s winner was Team
Shout. Te judges were won over by the
team’s prototype mobile application, which
let users report a customer service problem
to a company that would then have a fxed
amount of time to resolve the issue before the
app would broadcast the problem and lack of
response across multiple social media platforms.
Besides bragging rights, the team got a prize of
$3,000 in legal services from Dentons Canada
LLP, to help with its startup costs.
Startup Weekend generated excellent
coverage in traditional and social media. An
embassy-created Facebook page provides a
virtual platform for the group to continue to
interact and for the post to engage them on
future programs. Tis national network is an
important aspect of supporting entrepreneurs
in Canada, where large distances can isolate
them from potential collaborators, mentors and
funding sources.
By helping Canada’s budding entrepreneurs
learn the basics of founding and launching
business ventures, Embassy Ottawa’s frst
Startup Weekend will help create a strong,
binational network of future entrepreneurs and
innovators, and drive economic development
on both sides of the border.
Clockwise from left, public affairs section staff show
their support for Startup Weekend; Startup Weekend
participants pose for a group photo; attendees listen
to Ambassador Heyman’s welcoming remarks; Team
Shout celebrates its ﬁrst-place win.
Department of State photos
Startup Weekend
25 STATE MAGAZINE // OCTOBER 2014
V

iolence is pervasive on
American television, but in
Nigeria, the State Department
is using a reality TV show to
discourage confict by popularizing problem
solving without violence.
“Most conficts have deep roots, and all
the easy solutions have been tried, so we are
always looking for innovative approaches,”
said Will Meeker, who directs the four
Bureau of Confict and Stabilization
Operations (CSO) staf members sent to
Lagos to work with the U.S. Consulate
General there. Te centerpiece of the
Mission-CSO efort is “Dawn in the
Creeks,” a TV show that debuted this
summer and showcases the power of
achieving social change through non-violent
means. As one of many U.S. government
eforts throughout the country, this
engagement seeks to reduce the likelihood
of destabilizing violence in the Niger Delta
during the 2015 election period.
“I’m not naïve, but what I’ve seen here
the last couple of years gives me hope,” said
Consul General Jefrey Hawkins. “I believe
that the Nigerian people are determined to
live up to their potential and to be leaders
of their continent. Tey are entrepreneurial,
they are energetic, they are creative. ‘Dawn
in the Creeks’ taps into this dynamic.”
Much of the recent news about Africa’s
most populous nation has involved the
By Ben Beach, communications advisor, Bureau of Conﬂict and Stabilization Operations
TV show aims to reduce election violence in Niger Delta
extremist group Boko Haram and its attacks
in the Northeast. But the Niger Delta, the
heart of the country’s oil industry, is another
area where violence has too often been a
part of daily life. Very little of the billions
of dollars in oil revenue reaches Niger Delta
residents, breeding frustration and anger and
providing kindling for explosive violence. Te
region’s crime rate has increased by 50 percent
since 2009, and a survey funded by CSO
determined that 30 percent of citizens in three
Niger Delta states believe that violence pays.
Tat works out to four million people.
To develop the concept of this project and
bring it to life, CSO established the Niger Delta
Legacy Board of Advisors. Its members are
16 Nigerian thought leaders from the worlds
of business, media, flm, religion and civic
advocacy. CSO wanted a plan that addressed
the most important aspects of a confict,
involved local partners building on local
initiatives and would pass all of its activities to
its partners, ensuring sustainability.
For creative vision, the board turned to Jeta
Amata, a celebrated flm director who grew
up in the Niger Delta and now is based in
Los Angeles. After the board identifed one
community in each of the three states, Amata
visited the communities to select seven people
from each that he would train to make flms.
He sent them to a “Nollywood Academy” in
Lagos—so named because Nigeria is Africa’s
flmmaking capital—where they learned
flmmaking basics.
Te 21 trainees then
returned home to
produce real-life dramas about confict, oil,
reconciliation and peace, the content featured
on “Dawn in the Creeks.”
One community focused on how the illegal
siphoning of oil from pipelines has led to
confict among friends and health problems
that sometimes result in death. Te flm
showed how these problems can be reduced
through communication and education about
the consequences of oil theft.
One of the young flmmakers, Regina
Josiah, who is now a flm production designer,
thanked Amata and U.S. Ambassador to
Nigeria James Entwistle “for everything you
have done in our lives.
“Our flm,” she said, “is a good one that
is telling people why we shouldn’t go into
violence because violence is not the best
solution. We should make peace not only in
our community, also in our own family. So
this flm you are about to watch is going to
make a great change in this community and in
the whole wide world.”
So far, “Dawn in the Creeks” airs on fve
Nigerian TV networks that are not afliated
with the national government and two public
TV stations. Te Delta audience is huge,
roughly 1.1 million, and the national audience
is 2.5 million.
Father Edward Obi, chairman of the Niger
Delta Legacy Board of Advisors, screened an
episode to more than 400 students at the Young
Catholic Students Conference, convened by
the Fund for Peace in Port Harcourt. He then
facilitated a discussion about the role of youth in
peacebuilding and advocacy.
“Most conficts have deep
roots, and all the easy
solutions have been tried, so
we are always looking for
innovative approaches.”
-Will Meeker
Nigerian ‘Dawn’
27 STATE MAGAZINE // OCTOBER 2014
Te show encourages viewers
to discuss issues online and on the
talk radio stations broadcasting
throughout the Delta. It has
even gotten airtime on another
popular TV show that highlights
community eforts to work with
the government to improve life
for the average citizen.
“It’s catching on,” said board
member Tomi Bolade, station
manager of popular Port
Harcourt-based Wazobia Radio
FM. “We have regular callers into
the weekly show and are running
jingles on a regular basis [that are] driving
people to their televisions.”
Tough the program is based in the Niger
Delta, the board, Amata and others involved
expect “Dawn in the Creeks” to resonate with
northern Nigerians as well. “We hope to counter
the prevailing North vs. South narrative by
illustrating that struggles and solutions
transcend regions,” said Meeker.
Building on the media campaign’s
momentum, the board has identifed
ways to strengthen communities’
ability to challenge the view that
violence pays. Te messages of
“Dawn” are reinforced at the
community level, through networks
across the Niger Delta and through
targeted engagement with a new
generation of leaders. In addition,
the team is piloting community
interventions and partnerships with
international and local civil society
organizations.
“Te idea is to build on initiatives
that already exist rather than start
something from scratch,” explained
Hawkins. “Interventions will focus on
instilling leadership, communication,
confict resolution skills and providing
direct opportunities for community
members and rising leaders to engage their
governments in a propositional manner.”
Te period prior to the February elections
will pose signifcant challenges for Nigeria.
With the right mix of local leaders driving
and sustaining this unique initiative in the
Niger Delta, U.S. Mission Nigeria, the Bureau
U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria James Entwistle, center, celebrates at the “Dawn in the Creeks” premier with
ﬁlmmakers from the city of Erema.
Photo by Jane Maduegbuna, AfriNolly
of African Afairs, CSO and other partners
believe that the likelihood of violence can be
reduced by channeling the tremendous energy
of Nigerians in new ways.
More information on “Dawn in the Creeks”
is on the show’s website and its Facebook and
Twitter feeds.
Jeta Amata speaks to youth in Ozoro about leadership and community concerns, to identify the seven youths to
attend his ﬁlmmaking school.
Photos by Sodienye Kurubo, Stakeholder Democracy Network
27 STATE MAGAZINE // OCTOBER 2014
STATE MAGAZINE // OCTOBER 2014 28
Te U.S. Consulate General in Johannesburg recently joined with a U.S. social
media project called Hashtaglunchbag to help South Africa address hunger.
On a Saturday in May, more than 100 post staf, family members, friends
and Consulate Youth Council members prepared more than 800 lunches and
delivered them to hungry kids in nearby townships.
An 18-car convoy of volunteers distributed lunches to three impoverished
communities around Johannesburg where the consulate has PEPFAR
Community Grants projects to address the impact of AIDS. One member of the
consulate community said, “Te sight of the children walking with us through
the streets will be with me for a long time.”
Te director of the Neo e Bonolo Drop-in Center in one community expressed
gratitude to the volunteers. “It just means so much to have your care and support,” the director said. “Now, we just want to know when you’re
coming back to visit.”
More information on Consulate General Johannesburg’s involvement in the project is on the post’s website.

Assistant Marine Security Guard Detachment Commander Sgt. Allan Lu-
cas III distributes lunches in Benoni township outside of Johannesburg.
Photo by Marine Corps Sgt. Jamine Mitchell
Post Makes 800 Bag Lunches
for South African Children
IN BRIEF
Two American soccer coaches arrived at the U.S. Embassy in Port-Au-Prince Aug. 3 as part
of a weeklong sports diplomacy program for youth sponsored by the INL and public afairs sec-
tions. Te embassy partnered with the Haitian National Police (HNP), Community Policing
Unit, Scouts d’Haïti and Haitian Ministry of National Education, Youth and Sports.
Te coaches were Tony Sanneh, who played professional soccer in the United States and Eu-
rope for 17 years and was part of the U.S. Men’s National Team in the 2002 FIFA World Cup,
and Tomas Rongen, who also played in the United States and Europe for many years and was
head coach of three Major League soccer clubs: the New England Revolution, DC United and
Chivas USA.
Tey worked with hundreds of youths from around the city on football skills, teambuilding,
Soccer Coaches Visit Haiti

From left, coaches Tony Sanneh and Thomas Rongen
greet Haitian players in Port Au Prince.
Photo by Tod Herskovitz, The Sanneh Foundation
confict resolution and shared responsibility. Tey also worked with Haitian coaches on long-term programs to be implemented to keep community-
based soccer leagues going in Haiti.
In its sports diplomacy, the embassy collaborates with the HNP to reinforce community engagement and intervene with youths in at-risk urban
areas, helping provide them opportunities to avoid violence outside of school.
Ethics Answers
Q: I work with several contractors at post, and we often socialize at lunch or after hours. Yesterday, one of the contractors paid
for my lunch at an expensive restaurant. My lunch cost $45. I know I should reimburse this person, but also know there is a rule
that permits me to accept a gift of $20 or under. If I reimburse this person $25 to reduce the value of the gift to $20, will I be in
compliance with the ethics rules?
A: No. You should reimburse the contractor for the full value of your lunch. You may accept a gift with a value of $20 or under,
provided you do not accept gifts worth more than $50 from any one source in a calendar year. However, when the market value of
a gift exceeds $20, the rules do not permit you to simply pay the excess value over $20. Because the market value of your lunch
exceeded $20, you need to pay for the whole lunch.
Ethics Answers presents hypothetical ethical scenarios Department employees might face. For help with real ethics questions,
email ethicsattorneymailbox@state.gov.
29 STATE MAGAZINE // OCTOBER 2014
Post Makes 800 Bag Lunches
for South African Children
After working at the U.S. Consulate General in Rio de Janeiro as a locally employed
staf member for 46 years, Ana-Maria Chiarelli de Miranda retired in September. A
Brazilian native, she spent part of her childhood in Flushing, N.Y., before her family
returned to Brazil, where she earned a law degree. In 1968, she began work in the
Human Resources ofce of what was then the U.S. Embassy in Rio.
Miranda was president of the frst employee association and was named the FSN of
the year in 2012 for Mission Brazil. She recalled life in the United States as “my frst
memories of life—of freedom, of ethics and citizenship.”
On departing her position as an HR supervisor, Miranda said her work has been
rewarding, but she’s looking forward to taking it easy and spending time with her
husband and pets, and to someday walk the Camino de Compostela, an 800-mile
pilgrimage route from France to Spain.
A 46-Year Legacy

Ana-Maria receives the Secretary’s Career Achievement Award from
Consul General John S. Creamer.
Photo by Carlos Külps

Bob Horrigan of IRM represents the Department
of State in the Chili Challenge, with his pot of
excellent chili.
Photo by Carrie Duong
Employees’ Donations
Feed DC Families
Tis year’s Feds Feed Families summer drive for donations garnered over 25,000 pounds of
nonperishable food delivered to collection bins in Department buildings in the Washington,
D.C., area.
A further 91,000 pounds of food was gained through gleaning, a new aspect of the drive not
widely used before. Local farmers ofered surplus crops such as collard greens and kale, and federal
employees and other community groups picked and packaged them for donation to the Capital
Area Food Bank. Te combined total of -over 115,000 pounds was a new Department record.
Among the events held to increase food donations and awareness of the drive were a
Department of Agriculture-sponsored golf tournament, a Department of State Ofce of Employee
Relations ice cream social and a Department of Energy Chili Challenge.
Tere were also interbureau challenges, such as that held between the bureaus of African Afairs
and Human Resources. Te Bureau of African Afairs contributed most to the summer drive with a
whopping 7,529 pounds food donations, followed closely by Consular Afairs with 7,407 pounds.
In July, the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See co-hosted with the Vatican a digital
video conference on the Department’s 2014 Trafcking in Persons Report. More than
40 people attended the event at the Pontifcal Academy of Sciences in Vatican City,
including members of the diplomatic corps, Vatican ofcials, journalists, NGO workers
and members of religious orders battling trafcking. Participants discussed the report
and the political, social and economic dimensions of human trafcking, which Pope
Francis has called a “crime against humanity” and Secretary of State John Kerry has
called “modern-day slavery.”
Speakers included U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Ken Hackett and Bishop
Sanchez Sorondo, chair of the Global Freedom Network, the Holy See’s newly launched
Embassy, Vatican Host
Anti-Trafﬁcking Event

From left Global Freedom Network CEO Antonia Stampalija and Glob-
al Freedom Network Board Chair Bishop Sanchez Sorondo listen as
Ambassador Hackett delivers opening remarks at the event.
Photo by Antoinette Hurtado
interfaith anti-trafcking initiative. U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for the Ofce to Monitor and Combat Trafcking in Persons Luis CdeBaca spoke
on the positive developments and setbacks in the anti-trafcking efort. He noted nations’ policies on trafcking prevention, protection and
prosecution; shared stories of former trafcking victims; and advised participants on how to strengthen international eforts to combat this crime.
Te embassy’s public afairs section and Global Freedom Network staf live-tweeted the event, which strengthened the U.S.-Holy See partnership
on this issue and paved the way for future collaboration.
STATE MAGAZINE // OCTOBER 2014 30

reparing pets for shipping to one’s
overseas posting can be a frustrating,
complicated and expensive proposi-
tion, which is why FSI’s Transition Center
ofers a popular Traveling with Pets program
each April.
Problems transitioning personnel may face
include stringent country entry requirements
that necessitate months of preparation or
restrictive airline pet-shipping policies that
force the hiring of a professional pet shipper.
Tey may have to devote precious time to
determine if there are any acceptable alternate
airline routes, face excessively long fights with
layovers during the hottest summer months,
or have to fnd someone to care for their pet as
it remains in the U.S. until temperatures cool
sufciently for travel.
In recent years, many pet owners have also
had to go through customs and recheck their
pets at the transit point because some airlines
no longer transfer pets from one airline’s plane
to another, even if they are code-share partners
and will transfer luggage. Sometimes, prior to
moving into permanent housing, pet owners
may have to stay at a hotel that does not
accept pets.
At this year’s presentation on traveling
with pets, these concerns were addressed, and
attendees got answers to their questions. One
speaker, Mette Beecroft from the Ofce of
Transportation, explained how pet owners can
determine whether they will be eligible for a
partial reimbursement for the airline pet fee
under the miscellaneous portion of the Foreign
and Home Transfer Allowances. She also
discussed the GSA exemption that pet owners
may use if an airline refuses to ship a pet as
accompanied baggage.
Veteran airline cargo executive Gregg
Pittelkow gave an insider’s view, using photos to
show what happens to a pet once it is delivered
to the airport prior to and during the fight.
“Tat’s a part of the process we
never see,” one attendee remarked.
Another said Pittelkow helped
participants “understand why the
airlines are so strict,” and a third
said, “He assuaged many of my
concerns.”
Professional pet shipper Bob
Rollins suggested several questions
to ask a potential shipper prior to
engaging his or her services and
highlighted soft- and hard-sided
pet carriers and the safety features
needed for crates in the cargo
hold. One attendee said it was a
good idea to have a pet shipper
ready, as a backup, and to be sure
one’s pet is “kennel-ready.”
Veterinarian Kate Bowers, of
the Department of Agriculture’s
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service,
gave an overview of the service’s guidelines
for pet owners, who often use them to meet
destination country certifcation requirements.
One attendee said this “put a face to the
USDA process.”
Private practice veterinarian Rebecca
Bolch gave tips on preparing a pet for the trip
and what temporary symptoms a pet may
experience after the trip. Friendship Animal
Hospital, where Dr. Bolch practices, has a pet
travel technician.
Summing up the program, one attendee said,
“A good deal of my anxiety on this subject is
gone,” and another called it “a great introduc-
tion for overseas pet travel, especially for those
who have never experienced it before.”
Streaming video of the 2014 Traveling
with Pets program is on BNet, and other
online pet shipping resources are available
on OBC’s newly redesigned OpenNet site.
Tese resources include post-specifc pet
entry requirements and restrictions, airline
policies and other critical aspects of pet
shipping. OBC’s 2014 pet survey from post
GSOs provides information for pet owners
preparing for travel to those posts.
FSI class addresses travelers’ concerns
By Maureen Johnston, resource specialist, FSI Transition Center/Overseas Brieﬁng Center
Pet Smarts
Top: A dog named Randy prepares for the trip to
his owner’s next posting in Kyiv.
Photo by Suzanne Turner

Bottom: A pet owner completes a travel form for
his pet, as airlines require.
Photo by Gregg Pittelkow
Appointments
James D. Nealon (SFS) of New Hampshire
is the new U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of
Honduras. Previously, he was civilian deputy
to the Commander of U.S. Southern Com-
mand. Before that, he was deputy chief of
mission in Ottawa, deputy chief of mission in
Lima and chargé d’afaires and deputy chief
of mission in Montevideo. Other postings in-
clude Madrid, Budapest, Manila and Santiago.
Crystal Nix-Hines of California is the new
U.S. permanent representative to the U.N.
Educational, Scientifc and Cultural Organiza-
tion, with the rank of Ambassador. Previously,
she was a New York Times reporter, practiced
law and, in the 1990s, held three positions
with the Department: counselor to the assistant
secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and
Labor; member of the Policy Planning Staf;
and special assistant to the Legal Adviser.
Michael Stephen Hoza (SFS) of Washington
is the new U.S. Ambassador to the Republic
of Cameroon. Previously, he was the manage-
ment counselor in Moscow, and before that
management counselor and acting deputy
chief of mission in Nairobi. Other postings
include Madrid, Paris, Kathmandu, Mbabane
(chargé d’afaires), Asmara, Maputo, Marti-
nique and Abidjan.

Thomas P. Kelly III (SFS) of California is
the new U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of
Djibouti. Previously, he was principal deputy
assistant secretary in the Bureau of Political-
Military Afairs. Before that, he was principal
ofcer and consul general in São Paulo. He
was deputy chief of mission in Vilnius and
Buenos Aires, and also served in San Salvador,
Santiago, Paris and Quito.
Larry Edward André Jr. (SFS) of Texas is the
new U.S. Ambassador to the Islamic Republic
of Mauritania. He previously served as director
of the Ofce of the Special Envoy for Sudan
and South Sudan. Other assignments include
deputy chief of mission in Tanzania and Sierra
Leone, and tours in Kenya, Ethiopia, Guinea,
Bangladesh, Cameroon and Nigeria. He also
served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal
and USAID contractor in Chad.
Pamela K. Hamamoto of Hawaii is the
new U.S. Representative to the Ofce of the
United Nations and Other International Or-
ganizations in Geneva, with the rank of Am-
bassador. For the past 15 years, she has been a
trustee and advisor to educational institutions
in northern California. A civil engineer, she
began her career in the energy and telecom-
munications industries, and later became an
investment banker.
Eunice S. Reddick
U.S. Ambassador
to Niger
Larry Edward André Jr.
U.S. Ambassador
to Mauritania
Pamela K. Hamamoto
U.S. Representative to the Ofﬁce
of the United Nations and Other
International Organizations
32 STATE MAGAZINE // OCTOBER 2014
Michael Stephen Hoza
U.S. Ambassador
to Cameroon
James D. Nealon
U.S. Ambassador
to Honduras
33 STATE MAGAZINE // OCTOBER 2014
Check out our online
magazine to watch a
video message from
featured ambassadors.
Eunice S. Reddick (SFS) of the District of
Columbia is the new U.S. Ambassador to the
Republic of Niger. Previously, she was ambas-
sador to Gabon and Sao Tome and Príncipe.
Other postings include Cóte d’Ivoire, Zimba-
bwe, China and Taiwan. In Washington, she
has covered African refugee assistance; South-
east Asian, East African and West African af-
fairs; and U.N. and international development
agencies.
Andrew H. Schapiro of Illinois is the new
U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic.
Previously, he was a partner at the interna-
tional law frm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart and
Sullivan, and before that a partner at Mayer
Brown. He also served as a trial attorney for
the Federal Public Defender’s Ofce in Man-
hattan and law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court
Justice Harry A. Blackmun. He is the son of a
Czech refugee.
Andrew H. Schapiro
U.S. Ambassador to
Czech Republic
Robert A. Wood
U.S. Representative
to the Conference on
Disarmament in Geneva
33 STATE MAGAZINE // OCTOBER 2014
John F. Tefft (SFS) of Virginia is the new U.S.
Ambassador to the Russian Federation. Previ-
ously, he was executive director of RAND Cor-
poration’s Business Leaders Forum. He has been
ambassador to Lithuania, Georgia and Ukraine
and deputy assistant secretary for European and
Eurasian Afairs. Other postings include Moscow
(deputy chief of mission and chargé d’afaires),
Jerusalem, Budapest and Rome.
Robert A. Wood (SFS) of New York is the
new U.S. Representative to the Conference
on Disarmament in Geneva, with the rank of
Ambassador. Previously, he was deputy chief of
mission to the U.S. Mission to the EU, deputy
U.S. permanent representative to the Interna-
tional Organizations in Vienna and acting assis-
tant secretary and deputy assistant secretary for
Public Afairs. Other postings include Berlin,
Mexico City, Lagos, Islamabad and Pretoria.
Thomas P. Kelly III
U.S. Ambassador
to Djibouti
Crystal Nix-Hines
U.S. permanent representative
to the U.N. Educational, Scientiﬁc
and Cultural Organization
John F. Tefft
U.S. Ambassador
to Russia
Harold J. Ashby Jr., 66, partner of retired Foreign Service ofcer Edward McKeon, died July 29 of a pulmonary
embolism in Chevy Chase, Md. He accompanied McKeon to postings in Tokyo, Osaka, Guangzhou, Tel Aviv
and Mexico City. Overseas, he taught English, and in Mexico City was an administrative ofcer for USAID. In
Washington, he was an administrator at Howard University. He loved travel, gardening and his adopted sons.
David C. Brooks, 56, a Foreign Service ofcer with USIA and the Department, died April 2 in Arlington, Va. He
joined the Foreign Service in 1993 and served in Luanda, São Paulo, Lima, Managua, Caracas and Warsaw. At the
time of his death, he was chief of the Policy Unit in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Afairs. He was known for
being able to disarm anti-American audiences with engaging talks on U.S. culture, especially comic books.

Rudolph Fascell, 90, a retired Foreign Service ofcer, died Aug. 12 in Homosassa Springs, Fla. He served in
the military during World War II. His postings included Lima, Guatemala City, San José, Panama City and Santo
Domingo. He retired in 1988. He was a “Mr. Gadget” who always had the latest technology, and loved family, reading,
entertaining, gardening and exercise.

Douglas L. Langan, 70, a retired Foreign Service ofcer, died Aug. 25 of lung cancer at his home in Wilmington,
N.C. He served in Bolivia with the Peace Corps and joined the Department in 1971. He was posted to Istanbul,
Havana, La Paz and Lima, and served as deputy assistant secretary in four bureaus. After retiring in 1997, he consulted
with the Department and organized the new Ofce of the Global AIDS Coordinator. He lived near a beautiful beach,
where he indulged his passions for fshing, running, reading and TV sports.

Harriet L. Maffei, 86, a retired Foreign Service employee, died July 30 in her Gloucester, Mass., home. She joined
the Foreign Service in 1964 and was posted to Benghazi, Libya, and Paris. She met her husband, Victor Mafei, in
Benghazi and accompanied him to posts in Europe, Africa, Saudi Arabia and Australia, where she continued her
career as a Foreign Service secretary and management assistant. In retirement, she volunteered as an ESL teacher and
archival researcher.
Christine Murray, 66, a retired Civil Service employee, died Aug. 8. She was a program ofcer in the Public
Liaison Ofce of the Bureau of Public Afairs, where she mentored many employees. She organized outreach events,
conferences and town meetings at the Department and across the country. After retiring in 2002 with 33 years of
service, she devoted herself to her family and a non-proft organization that provided assistance to senior citizens.

Betty Carol Taylor, 73, a retired Foreign Service secretary, died July 11 in Tallahassee, Fla. She served in Hong
Kong, Beirut, Amman, Tunis, Bonn, Prague, Cyprus, New Delhi, Kathmandu and Brasília during her 30-year
career. She loved traveling and cooking, and was known at all her posts for remembering everyone’s birthday with a
homemade cake. After her Beirut posting, she was named Foreign Service Secretary of the Year.
John C. “Thommo” Thomson, 78, a retired Foreign Service National, died April 26 of cancer in Canberra,
Australia. He worked in the embassy’s Financial Management Center for 31 years, and was one of the Department’s
frst FSN certifying ofcers. His regional responsibilities included several South Pacifc posts, in addition to those in
Australia. He retired in 2000. He loved golf and fne wine, and was renowned for his storytelling and sense of humor.
He was active in his church and charitable organizations in Canberra.
STATE MAGAZINE // OCTOBER 2014 34
Obituaries
Questions concerning employee deaths should be directed to the Ofce of Casualty Assistance at (202) 736-4302.
Inquiries concerning deaths of retired employees should be directed to the Ofce of Retirement at (202) 261-8960.
For specifc questions on submitting an obituary, please contact us at statemagazine@state.gov or (202) 663-1688.
Lying in State
35 STATE MAGAZINE // OCTOBER 2014
Iraq
Canada
End State
Sweden Pg. 20
A colorful sunset over Stockholm harbor silhouettes
Stadshuset (City Hall) which annually plays host to the Nobel
Prize banquet.
Photo illustration by Dennis Jarvis
Iraq Pg. 10
An Iraqi girl peeks out of a broken classroom window in
Nawaful, Iraq, where soldiers delivered new desks to
her school.
Photo by Air Force SSgt. Samuel Bendet
Canada Pg. 24
The emerald waters of Rawson Lake reﬂect Mount Sarrail’s
sheer cliffs in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, Kananaskis
Country, Alberta.
Photo by davebloggs007
Sweden
Brazil
Brazil Pg. 3
A Brazilian football fan dons an elaborate costume and
makeup to show support for the country’s national team
during the World Cup.
Photo by Ricky Montalvo
U.S. Department of State
Bureau of Human Resources
Washington, DC 20520
If address is incorrect,
please indicate change.
Do not cover or destroy
this address.
POSTMASTER:
Send changes of address to:
State Magazine
Department of State
2401 E Street N.W.
SA-1, Room H-236
Washington, DC 20522
PERIODICALS
POSTAGE & FEES PAID
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
ISSN 1099-4165
The Department’s Combined Federal
Campaign begins Oct. 1 with the
theme “Make It Possible.”
Choose to give through the CFC.
Donate to the CFC!